Live fire weather for Colorado

Colorado Campfire Rules and Burn Bans, With Live Fire Weather

Q: What is the campfire rule at Colorado state parks and forests?

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says: “Buy or gather firewood locally, near where you intend to burn it. Don’t transport firewood into Colorado from out of state. Keep campfires small, manageable and attended.”

Q: Where are burn bans and fire restrictions posted in Colorado?

Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control is the source this page found, at https://dfpc.colorado.gov/sections/wildfire-information-center/fire-restriction-information. A county or a single forest can order a stricter ban than the state, so also ask the local fire department or ranger district.

Q: What does a red flag warning mean for a campfire in Colorado?

A red flag warning is the National Weather Service saying warm temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds make a fire spread fast. It is a weather product, not a ban, but many agencies tighten or end campfires when one is out. The live panel on this page shows any warning, fire weather watch or fire warning for the state right now.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife sets the campfire rule for Colorado's state parks and forests. Burn bans and fire restrictions are posted by Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. Live National Weather Service fire weather alerts for Colorado load on the page.

Right now

Fire weather alerts in Colorado right now

Live from the National Weather Service

Checking for fire weather alerts in Colorado...

Burn bans and restrictions: Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

The rule

The campfire rule in Colorado

Campfires in state parks and forests

Buy or gather firewood locally, near where you intend to burn it. Don’t transport firewood into Colorado from out of state. Keep campfires small, manageable and attended.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source

Campfires on national forest and BLM land

You may have campfires in developed campgrounds but only in the metal rings or boxes provided at the site. You may also have campfires anywhere you are legally camped when you are "dispersed camping" (camping outside of developed, fee campgrounds) in the general forest areas. In hot, dry seasons, there may be SEASONAL FIRE RESTRICTIONS that prohibit open flames of any kind.

USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source

Where fire restrictions are posted

The CSFS does not track specific information about current wildfires, fire bans or restrictions in Colorado. Use the following links to find updated information.

Colorado State Forest Service, read October 18, 2026. Read it at the source

Current restrictions: Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

Quoted from pages read October 18, 2026. A county, a national forest or a single park can order a stricter ban than the state, so ask the local fire department or ranger district before you light a fire.

Planning a trip

Camping in Colorado

The Colorado camping guide has the months when the weather works, how Colorado Parks and Wildlife books sites, the rule for camping outside a campground and a live weekend forecast for your campsite.

Colorado campfire questions

What is the campfire rule at Colorado state parks and forests?

Are campfires allowed on national forest land in Colorado?

USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region says: “You may have campfires in developed campgrounds but only in the metal rings or boxes provided at the site. You may also have campfires anywhere you are legally camped when you are "dispersed camping" (camping outside of developed, fee campgrounds) in the general forest areas. In hot, dry seasons, there may be SEASONAL FIRE RESTRICTIONS that prohibit open flames of any kind.”

Where are burn bans and fire restrictions posted in Colorado?

What does a red flag warning mean for a campfire in Colorado?

Campfire rules in other states

Fire danger in ColoradoToday’s fire danger and what it means for a campfire Burn permits in ColoradoWhen a permit is needed to burn Firewood permits in ColoradoCutting and moving firewood Park openings in ColoradoWhen parks and campgrounds open for the season Bear season in ColoradoBears at camp and how to store food Tick forecast in ColoradoTick activity for the trail and the campsite Mosquito forecast in ColoradoMosquito activity near water Drought in ColoradoDry conditions that tighten fire rules Air quality in ColoradoWildfire smoke and the air you will breathe

Where this page’s facts come from

State park, forestry and federal land pages (read October 18, 2026). Booking windows, reservation systems, campfire rules, fire restriction sources and rules for camping outside a campground, each quoted word for word with a link to the page it came from.
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020 (read October 18, 2026). Average monthly high, low and nights at or below 32 F at 150 reference stations, the same stations the heat season and heating season pages use.
National Weather Service alerts (live, read in your browser when the page loads). Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, Fire Warnings, Freeze Warnings and High Wind Warnings, read live from api.weather.gov.
National Weather Service 7 day forecast (live, read in your browser when the page loads). The weekend forecast for the ZIP code a visitor enters, read live from api.weather.gov.

Campfire rules across the country